


Pumpkins and cuddles

by Yougaythen



Category: Ballum, EastEnders
Genre: And Ben wearing Callums hoodie, Fluff, Just a bit of softness, because why not, the halloween fic no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:07:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27313078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yougaythen/pseuds/Yougaythen
Summary: When autumn comes around Callum wants to do all the fun Halloween things with Lexi, Ben wears Callums hoodie and it’s just all soft happiness
Relationships: Ballum - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	Pumpkins and cuddles

Autumn was always Callum’s favourite time of year the leaves that fell making the prettiest rainbow formation falling upon the floor, Stuart’s hand pulling him along to school until the grip loosened and the leaves were all at Callums finger tips, all the colours possible upon the tallest trees calling out to Stuart to pull them from the trees, him turning away not bothered about what his younger brother was doing, until he’d arrive at school bag overflowing with leaves He’d found on the way. His small amount of happiness in the hurt and heartbreak of his actual home life. He’d take them home a small shoe box hidden under his bed where he’d pull it out each night when the house fell silent, vibrant blue eyes gazing down upon the most magical things he’d ever seen. The rainbow that filled the box and only select ones made it into there, the others he’d crush slightly onto paper making his own trees in his room. And he knew no one could find out about his leaves, them being his was to say sorry, he’d choose the most prettiest and hand it over with a sad gaze eyes onto the floor with the smallest voice ushering out the words until he’d push away. 

And yet without fail he’d go to his grandparents for the autumn holidays, packing his bags and taking a small selection of leaves he was always met by the biggest tree he’d ever seen in their garden, he was tiny compared to it and he could only imagine what you could see from the top but he was certain you could touch the stars. They would buy him a pumpkin and all the sweet stuff he could ever want and for once he was alone, no Stuart beside him or the constant shouting, their house was silent and peaceful. They let him be a child, and he thanked them for it all the time. Until home got messy and he knew he was better off out of there, he packed his bags for the final time pulling out the shoebox from under his bed and he was gone, off into to the autumn nights in search or their house. 

He knew he never wanted that for lexi, not that he’d been a major part of her life for a long time but he knew as soon as he saw her that she would be loved in all the ways he wasn’t as a child. The way he’d drop plans for her, and Ben too because together they were the family that him nor Ben had, the stability and constant of each other just being there, she could turn to either of them when she needed help and she knew that and did. 

——

So when autumn rolled around again they couldn’t have appeared to have been more in love, casually holding hands and the warmth of each other always there, the room upstairs becoming shared and Ben was loving it, there was nothing more he wanted than for Callum to be happy, and in return he’d be happy himself. So when Callum suggested that he wanted to carve pumpkins with Lexi and set her up a little Halloween at home due to impending restrictions Ben was straight on it, taking her to the closest pumpkin patch they could find letting her choose a few to take home with the main plan to just leave them by the front door in Halloween night. 

As soon as Callum was up he headed across the square to pick up lexi allowing Ben some extra time in bed before their adventurous day. 

“Make sure you stay close to Callum” Lola called to lexi, her bag upon her back and arms swinging by her side as they walk together. “Dad might still be asleep so if so we can watch some tv until he gets up and then we have some surprises” he tells her “a surprise” she returns excitedly as they get to the front door unlocking and heading in “daddy” lexi calls as soon as she sees ben led out on the sofa, news on the tv “what you doing up so early” Callum questions “and this” he takes part of the fabric of his own grey hoodie into his hand “was cold wasn’t I, thought I’d make us lot breakfast” taking Callums hand and placing a kiss to it. 

They sit all together at breakfast lexi requesting to just have eggs and toast, and requesting some sort of cartoons on while they waited “you want to carve one of the pumpkins you picked out last week” “yay” she exclaimed as Ben walked through with the three plates placing them down on the table in front of them “we are gonna do my pumpkins” she says as she dips her toast into the egg.

As soon as breakfast was over they got started on the pumpkins, setting out all the stuff and letting lexi choose the one she wanted to cut up into her design “let’s make one like this” she says pulling her unicorn from her backpack Callum sitting next to her holding her hands as she cuts chunks from it “go on get your hands in” “and why aren’t you doing this then” Callum returns “your idea you follow through and get your hands in there” Ben smiles as he pushed Callums hand into the pumpkin lexi giggling at Callums face. 

They work together to make the the pumpkin look as unicorn like as possible, Lexi threading the fairy lights inside to highlight up the design once night falls and placing some sweets inside a bowl and putting them outside they decide its nice enough to go to the park, wanting lexi to run off some of her Halloween energy. 

They decide to sit on the bench watching her play until Callum goes to pick up a leaf “what you doing” Ben questions “I used to do this all the time when I was little pick up the leaves off the floor and put them in my school bag, I have a box of them all the best ones that I collected and I want to add this one” he smiles twirling it around in his hand “I used to use the best ones to say sorry to people, Stuart wasn’t that happy but I’d do it every morning. Nan used to have this beautiful tree at the bottom of the garden and the best leaves would fall all year and she let me take them in, dry and then we would make pictures with them” he feels a slight blush form upon his cheeks “can you get any more cute” Ben smiled hands joining together, leaf on the table between them. “So why are you wearing this then” Callum allows his thumb to dip up under the material of his own hoodie against Ben’s skin “didn’t know when you would be back this morning and saw it on the side and just wanted to be close to you” “now you are the cute one”

Heading back home they decided to make cookies lexi begging them to make chocolate chip ones Callum showing her how to make his favourite ones that he learned when he was training, Ben complaining at the mess Callum makes in the kitchen and lexi finding it funny when they had these little moments. 

Once lexi was settled Callum decided to show Ben his box of leaves pulling out all one ones possible and Ben had never seen anything quite like it the brightest golden to the darkest green it was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen, Callum really had the eye for the most gorgeous things in life, always seeing the best. 

After dinner they decided to get into proper Halloween mode, lexi putting on her Halloween pjs and deciding on the film she wanted to watch Ben allowing her a selection of sweets to which she appreciated. She loved the time she got to spend with them. 

By the time the Halloween film is over lexi is already talking about how tired she is, they decide on one of her favourite movies and settle down on the sofa together, her led against Callums body where her head falls to his chest as her eyes close, Ben laying against his side too, Callums hand finding its way into Ben’s hair where he rests fingers running through until Ben tells Callum to go put lexi into bed, after the days excitement her tiredness overtaking her enough that Callums chest felt the safest place to sleep. 

It wasn’t long before Ben replicated her, Callum encouraging them to go to bed where they fall asleep, Ben’s head against Callums gentle heartbeat because there he was safe.

**Author's Note:**

> This wasn’t what I originally planned but hope you enjoy
> 
> As always kudos are appreciated


End file.
